tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post1748407540038008879..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Three Parent Babies (no you did not misread this)Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-12494223328550618952015-02-11T08:40:58.823-06:002015-02-11T08:40:58.823-06:00In a February 24, 2014, article about "Diseas...In a February 24, 2014, article about "<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-25/dad-may-join-two-moms-for-disease-free-designer-babies" rel="nofollow">Disease-Free Designer Babies</a>", it is noted:<br /><br /><i>"From 1997 to 2003, about 30 children worldwide were born using a method that injected donor mitochondria DNA into eggs after they were fertilized. The first baby born with this technique was reported in 1997. In 2003, though, the FDA told fertility clinics that genetically manipulated embryos were considered a biological product, and subject to regulation, essentially halting the technique in humans."</i><br /><br />An August 26, 2014, article in the UK's <i>The Independent</i>, "<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/medical-dilemma-of-threeparent-babies-fertility-clinic-investigates-health-of-teenagers-it-helped-to-be-conceived-through-controversial-ivf-technique-9690058.html" rel="nofollow">Medical dilemma of 'three-parent babies': Fertility clinic investigates health of teenagers it helped to be conceived through controversial IVF technique</a>, reports on efforts to investigate the health of these children, including 17 infants with three biological parents who were born (or at least conceived) at the <a href="http://www.sbivf.com/" rel="nofollow">Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science</a> (IRMS) at St. Barnabas Medical Center in West Orange, New Jersey. <br /><br />An August 31, 2014, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28986843" rel="nofollow">BBC article</a> discusses one of the three-parent children, then 13-year-old <a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77267000/jpg/_77267012_alana.jpg" rel="nofollow">Alana Saarinen</a>. According to her mother, Alana is a healthy, typical teenager. "I couldn't ask for a better child. She is an intelligent, beautiful girl inside and out, she loves math and science … she does really well in school. She helps me around the house… when she's not texting!"Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-40470228005978540472015-02-11T08:22:58.823-06:002015-02-11T08:22:58.823-06:00Potential problems with mitochondrial replacement ...Potential problems with mitochondrial replacement (MR), which were discussed by Klaus Reinhardt in his 2013 Science paper, "<a rel="nofollow">Mitochondrial Replacement, Evolution, and the Clinic</a>" (no subscription required) and listed in <a href="http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BfaYsgqXe8o/UwzQSqlQPmI/AAAAAAAABDA/rmSG82gFezU/w601-h803-no/Reinhardt_Science_2013_341_1345.jpg" rel="nofollow">Reinhardt's table</a>. From the paper:<br /><br /><i>"Studies on model organisms, ranging from mice to fruit fl ies, indicate that MR can profoundly change the expression profiles of nuclear genes and affect a range of important traits such as individual development, cognitive behavior, and key health parameters. These studies also suggest that males of reproductive age are particularly sensitive to MR-induced effects. <br /><br />"Natural genetic differences in the mtDNA sequence exist from one individual to another, broadly denoted as mtDNA haplotypes. Putatively healthy mitochondrial haplotypes differ in their effect on the expression of key health and performance parameters. In particular, energy production critically hinges on extensive cross-talk between genes dispersed across the nucleus and the mitochondria (12).... <br /><br />"Two points may deserve careful consideration prior to any change in legislation. First, studies in humans have only tracked health through to the blastocyst stage and in macaques to 3 years of age (see the table). The results from mice and invertebrates suggest that many deleterious effects of MR would not be revealed until adulthood.... <br /><br />"Second, the possibility that MR outcomes may be improved by matching mtDNA haplotypes of donor and recipient (10) warrants experimental attention."</i><br /><br />Subsequently the U.K. Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority issued a <a href="http://www.hfea.gov.uk/8178.html" rel="nofollow">statement</a> on Reinhardt's paper.Carl Vehsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00348831096001668813noreply@blogger.com